The United States must have a strong president in order to maintain a position of leadership in the free world, former Texas Gov. John B. Connally said last night in a lecture at Harvard Law School.

In the second of a series of lectures on "Government: Its Uses and Abuses," Connally, the 1978 Pollack Lecturer, spoke before about 40 people--less than one-tenth of the attendance at his first lecture.

"As we, the United States, become more dependent on other nations, we have no choice but to ask the president to be strong," Connally said.

No president can effectively deal with foreign policy if he is forced to submit his policies to Congress for an "interminable debate," Connally added.

He said President Carter has been represented as a weak president because he has permitted too much dialogue and has tried to be "too democratic."

He added that Carter is changing his image, and will probably be tough with Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and with Congress on the sale of armaments.

"The president's essential commodity is his intelligent utilization of power," Connally said, adding "the lack of utilization of power in a political environment is anarchy."

In any capital city there is ambition and greed because the presidency is the seat of power and power attracts people who are seeking power for themselves, he said.

When asked whether he will run for president in 1980, Connally said he is enjoying what he is doing now--practicing law and traveling around the country--and that he will not decide until after the congressional elections.